Life is colourful for Jane Hall and Ian Levack. As the proprietors of Jane Hall: The Voice of Colour, a custom home furnishings store based in Toronto, they are waging a two-person battle against beige. And their efforts are paying off. Not only has the 11-month-old store become the talk of the city and beyond, it recently won Cadillac Fairview's 2002 Achievement in Retail Concepts Award, making Hall and Levack $50,000 richer.

So just what is it about this establishment that has got tongues wagging?
" [Our store] is a feast of colour," Levack explains. "People only get a few steps into it and they sort of gasp and try to take it all in. They're amazed that we can have so many colours in a relatively small space." Adds Hall: "Our store is more than just a store. It's a theatrical experience."

For some, it's even a little bit more. Hall chuckles as she recalls one young woman who proclaimed it to be an "orgasmic experience:"

While the 1,200 square-foot establishment doesn't have that effect on every customer, many do become excited about the prospect of incorporating colour into their personal space through sofas, paint, draperies, cushions, bedding, art work and rugs. "People propel themselves into their own environment to see if what they're looking at [in our store] would work in their homes;' says Levack.

That's easy to do since the store features six themed merchandise vignettes, labelled Warmth,Tranquility, Playful, Simplicity, Elegance and Power. The vignettes feature a sofa, chair, carpets, paintings and more, which help Hall and Levack choose a compatible look for customers.

When asked to describe the store's design, the duo says it exudes warmth, due to the variety of fabrics and textures such as sari silks, crushed velvets, sequins and golden tassels. Incense and soothing music complete the feel.

" We touch all the senses;" Hall says. Which makes for a store that is not only colourful, but also inviting.